Air moistener for internal-combustion engines



Nov. 9, 1926.y 1,606,472 A. J. KIEFFER ET AL.,

AIR MOISTENER FOR INTERNAL COMBUS'LION ENGINS Filed Feb. l, 1924 1ATTORNEYSV Patented Nov. 9, 1925.

isa-TENT lorries."

.ALLEN JEROME KIEFIFER, OF HOT SPRNGS, -SOUTH DAKOTA, AND DALE WILLIAMKIEFFER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.v i

Application filed `February 1, 1924. Serial-Nvo. 689,948.

Our invention relates to improvements in air moisteners and it consistsof the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described andclaimed. y

An object of the invention is to provide an air moistener adaptedparticularly for use in connection with internal combustion en-` gines,and operating on such a principle that air may either be carburetted ormoistened depending on Whether Water or motor fuel is used, use beingmade however ot different apparatuses for the separate purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mo-istener of suchnature that the moisture laden air after having passed through' Willcontain 'but a very` small amount of foreign matter such as dust, theresult being a more eticient operation of the engine which `themoistener supplies. p

`Other objects and advantages will appear from the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, inwhich,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the improved moistener showing how aconstant supply of liquid is maintained. i

' Figure 2 is a detail sectioncn the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is. a detail illary plates.

Figure 4l is a detail section on the line 44 of Figure 1 showing thedoor througlii which air is admitted.

Figure 1 conveys a good idea. ot the construction and purpose of theinvention. The moistener is intended to be interposed between the airintake of a carburetor (not shown) and the outer atmosphere. Accordingto this particular adaptation of the invention the moistener containsWater. Another purpose of the invention is to volatilize motor fuel sothat a pure vapor or gas, free from any unvolat-ilized particles. dust,et cetera, may be formed to be supplied to the combustion chamber of anengine.

lnV either case the construction of the moistener is the same. Themoistener is composed of a rectangular or other suitably shaped casing 1which, according to the first mentioned adaptation of the inventioncontains Water lV at the bottom. rlhis Water is supplied by the floatchamber 2 which communicates With the casing through an opening 3 in thedividing partition.

perspective of the cap- A valve 4l Whichis carried by the pivoted float5 `keeps tl e chamber 2 supplied with Water from the reservoir 6., Thereservoir con'imunicates with the chamber through a pipe 7. the ioat 5will tollovv and open the valve 4 so that lmore Water enters the chamber2.

Arranged in the casing 1 aresets of spacers 8 andv 9. These are shown asof hollow rectangular formation but obviously they may be made of othershapes and still per'- forni the intended purpose. The respective setsot `spacers define passages 10 and 11. Theuppermost set of spacersdefine air passages in the casing 1. Theloiver set define Water passagesin the Water compartment oit the easing and :function as guides. Thelower spacers also act tolreepfthe ivaterfrom o splashing out when usedon motor vehicles.

vThe sets of spacers are separated in the vertical direction so as toleavewvvhat might be called a chamber 12. Alplurality of plates 13 hangin the casing 1, being suspendin turn is carried by rlhe rod passesoutside ot the casing 1, Where it is adjustably held at 16 so that theplates 13 may be raised and lowered.

ed from a bar 14 Which a rod 15.

The bar 14 provides the common connector by Which the plates are held ina definite spaced relation. i l Applied to the lower part of each plate13 1s a covering coveringrmay consist of cot-ton, jute, sponge.| fabric,tel-t, or any other materials that have the property ot capillaryattraction. The plates 13 are adjustedl lovv enough in t-he casing lsothat the endsdip into the Water W at the spaces 11. The covering 17soaks up the Water, and as air entering at the opening 18 (Figures 2 and4l) passes upward in the passages 10 moisture is gathered thereby to becarried to the intake of the carburetor which the reader may suppose tobe connected With the pipe 19.

lt is desirable that the plates 13 shall occupy the substantial centerof the passages 10, and to this end the spacers 9 may act as guides orretainers should there be any tendency ot the plates to deviate.V

The variation of the moisture content of the air may be regulated by theadjustable feature of the plates 13. By adjusting the plates lower lessof the covering 17 will be exposed above the Water to the action of airUpon lowering' ot the Water level 17 oft absorbent material. This .Wool,silk,

Y it is connected directly would be reduced nearly one-half.

and consequently .a reduction of the moisture content will follow. It isto be observed that the air enters the casing almost on a line with thelevel of the water WV and nearly at the base of the plates. The moistcoverings 17 are therefore completely subjected to the action of theair. The reader can readily see that where the plates'are adjusted farenouOh down so that the lower ends nearly touch the bottom of the casing1, themoist surfaces of the coverings 17 Presuming the quantity of theentering air to be the saine the amount of moisture taken up therebywould also be reduced approxinfiately one-half. v

The opening 18 is situated at of the casing 1 that the entering airstrikes the plates from the edges. The air is immediately separated intoseveral streams which pass upward in the passages 10 and therefore mustcontact with the moist coverings 17 due to the restriction of thesepassages by the presence of the plates. The opening 18 is adjustable asto size by moving the door or covering 19 up and down. This door mayhave a suitably made support 20 by which vthe adjustments aremaintained.

Mention has been made of the use ofthe invention as a vapo-riser ofliquids other than water. The liquid W may be gasoline, kerosene,alcohol, or any other volatile motor fuel. The action of the air -oiisuch liquids will be the saine as on water. Then employed to volatilizesuch liquids the apparatus becomes a carbureter at which time to theintake inanifold.

The advantages of this device for vaporizing motor fuels are that a purevapor o-r gas free from any unvaporized particles or drops of liquidwill be delivered to the combustion chamber, and that such particleswill to a large extent Acling to the moist surfaces of the platessuspended in the casing rather than enter the combustion chamber. rlheplates may be cleaned from time to time as the dust and dirt particlescollect upon them. As a consequence Vof the use of this device the motorwill operate more etiiciently.

Scoring of the cylinder walls will be prevented by the checking of theentrance of dust. The use of the device for vaporizing` water may beseparate or in conjunction with another device of the vsame lrind forvaporizing motor fuel.

vWhile the construction and arrangement of the improved moistener asherein described and claimed is that of a generally preferred form,obviously modifications and changesinay be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a casing having an airinlet and outlet, a pair of sets of spacers of which one set is disposedbetween the air inlet and outlet and the other set is disposed below theair inlet, the lower set of spacers keeping water contained bythe casingfrom splashing out of the air inlet, and an absorbent element suspendedinv the casing between both sets of spacers and extending past the airinlet, said i'st mentioned set of spacers Vinsuring `contact of the airwith said'element.

2. in airmoistener comprising a casing having an air opening andcontaining liquid,

. two setsof spacers in the casing in vertical such vside' with whichsaid opening communicates said spaced relationship to produce a chamberspacers respectively defining air passages above the liquid, and liquidspaces below the level of said liquid, a plurality of absorbent membersoccupying the air passages, eXtending across said chamber and dippinginto the liquid in said -liquid spaces, said members constricting thepassages between the uppermost spacers so that air is forced tolcont-act with the surfaces of said absorbent members, and means lforconveying the resulting vapor from the casing.

in air ino-istener comprising a casing having an air opening andcontaining liquid, a set ofspacers fixed in the casing and immersed inthe liquid, a second set of spacers also fixed in the casing but inspaced relationship to the rst set to define a chamber., said variousspacers defining passages in the casing, and a plurality of platesadjustably pendant in said passagesy and chambers andv having absorbentinembers dipping into the liquid between the first set of spacers, saidmembers constricting the passages between the uppermost spacers so thatair is forced to Contact with the sur faces of said absorbent members.

a. An air moistener comprising a casing having an air opening at one endand con taining liquid, two sets of spacers separated vertically todefine an air chamber in the casing in the region of said opening, oneset of spacers being situated in the liquid, the

other defining air passages situated transversely to said opening, aplurality of plates having absorbant coverings thereupoii,said platesoccupying tlievarious passages between the spacers, the air entering atsaid opening edgewise ofthe plates. a bar from which the plates aresuspended and by which they are spaced, a rod extending upward from thebar, and means to adjustably hold the rod.

ALLEN JEROME KIEFFER. DALE VILLIAM KIEFFER.

